Game means



March 3, 1942. c. H. PEEK 3 9 GAME MEANS Filed June 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \NVENTOR RNEYS March 3, 1942. c; H, PEEK 2,274,933

GAME MEANS Filed June 8, 1959 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 omemm. omemm. omsmm. ORIGINAL DEALER DEALER DEALER. DEALER SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST .LSEIM HLUON 159a HlflOS 62 dEIVEQ US'IVBG uznvac uawaa 1 Av-waa l xv'wsa l AV'IdBU 1 Jw'ldau 6/ v fly. .5 omemm.

DEALER SOUTH :7 NON 6 1.53M

- dE'lVBG INVENTOR Mun Gl go/Qppiiz 62 va-em.

ATTO NEYS Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNiED S'l'd 'ihl l Prt'iiihi'i' 'FFHCE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to game devices, and more particularly to an improved method and means for use in conjunction With duplicate play of card games such as duplicate bridge or duplicate Whist, wherein opponents are given in turn identical hands With the object of eliminating the element of luck from the fall of the cards. Although certain devices have been previously developed for use in connection with such duplicate play to assist in preserving the hands of an original game, such prior devices have involved certain serious disadvantages and inconveniences.

For example, to provide for delivery of identical hands for replay, it has been previously necessary to keep the played cards of each hand together and separated from the other hands; and containers for separately storing and-delivering the respective hands of each deal to the replay players have been required. In connection with the use of such means the four cards of each successive trick are laid down at Widely separated positions immediately in front of the respective players and turned face down Without being brought together, making it difficult for the average player to retain group pictures of the tricks as they are played. Also, in connection with such previous methods, in order to indicate the Winner of each trick, each player must arrange the cards of his Winning tricks in such manner as to distinguish them from the cards of his losing tricks. This is necessary in order that the total number of Winning tricks may be readily counted and recorded at the end of the play of each hand. In short, such prior methods not only involve added technique that tends to divert the attention of the average player from the play of the hand, but also require the use of comparativel cumbersome and expensive equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the disadvantages and inconveniences of such previous card play methods and means, and to provide an improved method and means for use in connection with duplicate card play that will simplify the procedure involved and make the game conform more closely to the procedure employed in regular play. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear rom the specification herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates a plate device of the invention for use in connection with the method thereof, the plate being illustrated in plan View and having illustrated thereon an intermediate step of the method of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through Fig. 1 taken substantially along line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the plate device of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. l is a typiacl vertical section through another form of plate device of the invention;

Fig. 5 is an illustration of a group of index folders of the invention with data thereon pertaining to the original and replay use of corresponding decks of playing cards; and

6 is a vieW of one of the index folders of Fig. 5 reversely folded to expose a different face portion thereof.

Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate a plate which comprises generally a floor portion 22, an upstanding central post it, and an upstanding outer rim 25 so as to provide therebetween an annular chamher in which playing cards 5d are to be played in accordance with the method of the invention.

Ihe upper surface of the floor 22 between the central post 2& and the rim is segmented into four parts to provide individual playing surfaces as, 32, E i and St for the players of the game, the surface being designated as assigned to the dealer by means of indicia such as at 38. These fioor surface portions are formed in such manner as to providefor automatic stacking of the cards of the respective tricks in sequences corresponding to the relative positions of the players upon collective sliding movement of the cards about the central post t l, beginning with the card played by the dealer and continuing counterclockwise therefrom. For example, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and the card receiving surfaces 353, and 3 1 are each helically inclined about the vertical axis of the plate so as to form a ratchetlike floor surface, the individual surface portions thereof being inclined upwardly in counterclockvvise direction and terminating at step-off shoulder portions (r ig. 3), at their junctions with the next succeeding surface portions; said shoulders constituting convenient guides for the placement of the playing cards upon the receiving surfaces. Tl'iat is, the surface till leads to an elevated position adjacent the surface the sur face 32 leads to an elevated position adjacent the surface E i; and surface 3% leads to an elevated position adjacent surface The surface 36 is recessed with respect to adjacent surface portions of the plate to form a Well with vertical side Walls into which the cards will drop when Worked thereinto, thereby preventing their further movement around the plate. An upstanding shoulder ll is provided at the lower side portion of the surface til to constitute a card placing guide in the manner of the shoulders 40 hereinabove described. An annular groove 35 is provided in the fioor upper surface intermediately of the post 24 and the rim 26, the bottom of the groove 35 being at all points lower than adjacent portions of the floor surfaces.

In practicing the method of the invention, as for example in playing contract bridge, the plate is positioned in the center of the playing table and in such manner that the arrow device 38 is pointed toward the party selected to deal the hand. A deck of cards is then dealt in the usual manner to the four players of the hand, beginning with the party to the left of the dealer. The hands are then bid by the respective players in the usual manner, and the cards played in conformity with the rules of the game in a manner completely conventional except that the cards of each successive trick are laid face up by each player upon the surface portion of the plate 20 immediately in front of him; the dummy hand having been laid down upon the table opposite the declarer. As the play of each trick is completed the cards thereof are first stacked in accord with the novel procedure of the invention preliminary to removal thereof from the plate. To this end the winner of each successive trick progressively collects the cards thereof by sliding them counterclockwise (Fig. 1), around the central post 24 upon the floor surface portions of the plate, beginning with the card laid down by the dealer, until all of the cards of the trick are stacked in the pocket 36 to the left of the dealer. It will be seen that as the cards slide over the inclined floor surface portions 38, 32 and 3d, the relative order in which the cards of each trick were held by the players will .be maintained by reason of the lifting of the advancing edge of each moving card in such manner as to surmount the card next in order to be moved. Hence, when the cards are finally stacked in the pocket 36 the dealers card will be on top of the stack and the others will be in sequence therebelow corresponding to the respective positions of the players taken in counterclockwise rotation. The groove 35 facilitates the stacking process as the user is thereby enabled to insert a finger into the groove at the position marked start (Figs. 1 and 3) and, by simply sliding his finger counterclockwise around the plate cause U the cards of the trick to be automatically stacked as above described.

As the tricks are successively assembled in stacked form they are removed from the plate and placed face down upon the table in front of the respective winners exactly as in ordinary contract bridge. At the end of the hand the tricks, after being properly scored, are gathered intact in deck form, care being taken that the order of the cards so reassembled be kept undisturbed until the deck is dealt for replay.

It will be observed that when a trick is removed from the plate and placed face down on the table, the order of the cards obtained by the stacking process is automatically reversed so that, counting from the top, the sequence now corresponds with the positions of the four players of the respective cards taken clockwise around the table ending with the dealers card at the bottom of the trick. If the trick were now redealt clockwise around the table by the original dealer, it is apparent that each of the four players would receive the card played by himself; and since a complete deck is but a series of tricks, if the 13 tricks reassembled as above were the established rules of the game.

all successively redealt by the original dealer each player would receive his original hand intact. It follows that it is only necessary to designate the replay dealer to determine the players that will receive the respective original hands. For example, if the deal is passed for replay to the player on the left of the original dealer, the original hands will pass from each of the original players to the opponent on his left. Or, when a deck is passed to a second table for replay, if the player designated as replay dealer for that deck is seated in position corresponding to that of the original dealer, the hands of the first table will each be received by players at the second table seated in like positions, respectively.

A series of consecutively numbered indicator devices is provided, there being one such device for each deck of playing cards that is used in the play which identifies the deck by number and indicates the vulnerability or non-vulnerability of the players and the position of the dealer, both for the original play and the replay of the deck. These indicator devices may take the form of folders as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 5 for example, illustrates a group of four such indicator folders being folders numbered one to four inclusive. The vulnerability and dealer designating data of the folders 38 is printed upon both the upper and lower leaf portions 6! and 62 respectively thereof, and attention is called to the fact that the vulnerability and dealer designating data of folders 1 to 4 provide for rotation of the dealer position and the vulnerability character istics of the respective players in accord with Also, it will be noted that the data of the indicator folder provides that the replay dealer in each case will be the opponent seated to the left of the original dealer. Additional groups of four indicator folders each carrying deck designating numerals will be provided according to the number of decks to be employed, and because the game involves rotation of the dealer position and vulnerability characteristics with the play of each additional deck, it will be understood that the members of the additional groups of four indicator folders will each carry indicia corresponding to that carried by the group of folders numbered from 1 to 4 inclusive, differing therefrom only in respect to their designating numerals.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, for example, for use in connection with the play of a match of duplicate contract, an indicator folder bearing numeral I carries indicia designating the player at the south side of the table as dealer for the first hand; and the vulnerability of the opposed sides in accord with established custom, is stated thereon. Since the deal rotates clockwise about the playing table, folders 2, 3 and 4 respectively indicate the players at west, north, and east positions as dealer, and carry appropriate vulnerability data. Preferably, in the next succeeding group of four indicator folders, folder number 5 carries data identical to those of folder number 1; folder number 6 carries data identical to folder number 2; folder number '7 carries data identical to folder number 3, and folder number 8 carries data identical to folder number 4. Each successive additional group of four indicator folders will repeat the directional data of the group of folders numbered 1 to 4.

In carrying out the game playing method of the invention, an indicator folder will be selected (preferably No. 1) and a deck of playing cards will be supplied the players and shufiled and cut in the usual manner and then dealt by the player designated as original dealer on the indicator folder. The hand will then be bid and played upon the plate device 20 as hereinabove explained, and the played tricks accumulated by the respective winning sides. The deck will then be reassembled as explained hereinabove and the selected indicator folder detachably mounted as by means of an elastic band upon the bottom face of the deck so as to conceal the identity of the bottom card; or otherwise associated with the deck in such manner as to remain an identifying medium for the deck preparatory to subsequent replay of the hand. The indicator folders preferably conform in size and shape to the playing cards with which they are to be used, for the convenience of the players. Similarly, a second indicator folder (preferably No. 2), will then be employed in conjunction with a second deck of playing cards in connection with the play of a second hand at the same table of players, the hand being dealt by the player designated on the indicator folder. Upon completion of the play of the second hand the second deck of cards is reassembled as described hereinabove, and the second selected indicator folder is then detachably mounted thereon preparatory to replay of the hand as explained in connection with folder No. 1. In similar manner, successive folders are used with respect to successive deals of the game.

Upon replay of the hands described hereinabove, the various decks of cards are successively replayed without shuffling or cutting; the indicator folders preferably concealing the bottom card of each deck throughout the deal. In each case the data carried on the indicator folders insure that each team holds the identical cards in connection with the replay that were held by its opponents in connection with the original play. Upon completion of the original play of each hand the score is entered on a score sheet opposite the designating number of the hand as found upon the indicator folder; and then upon completion of the replay of the hand the score is similarly entered, and a proper indication of the comparative abilities of the players is obtained.

It is contemplated that the method of the invention may be employed with equal facility in the case of original and replay games at single tables, and to team and/or tournament play wherein a plurality of tables are in use and the decks are passed from the original table to other tables for replay purposes. Since it is essential, where the decks are to be replayed by the same foursome, that the identity of the hands be concealed until after the replay, the indicator folders are provided of double leaf form, as shown in the figures; the deck designating numerals being omitted from the lower leaf portions thereof so that by reversing the fold, the numerals may be concealed. For example, Fig. 6 illustrates folder No. 1 of Fig. 5 in reversely folded position. However, in the case of team and/or tournament play, the folders will be employed as illustrated in Fig. 5 so that the identity of each hand is exposed. It will also be understood that the method of the invention is adapted with equal facility to the play of prearranged decks of cards, in which case the indicator folders are attached to the respective decks prior to original play.

It is also contemplated that in the case of team and/or tournament play where the opponents are seated in corresponding positions at different tables, that the dealer designating data with respect to the original dealer will be followed at all tables and the data with respect to the replay dealer will be disregarded. In all cases one of the major advantages of the invention is that the players attention is not distracted from the play of the cards by extraneous problems having to do with the segregation and proper reassembly of the cards of the respective decks preparatory to replay of the hands.

It will be understood that the novel stacking and trick reassembly procedure in connection with the use of the plate 20 is based upon the lifting of the advancing corner and edge portions of the cards being moved to elevations from the adjacent corner and edge portions of the next succeeding pocketed card, and that therefore the individual floor surface portions of the plate may be otherwise provided in such manner as to accomplish this end, within the concept of this invention. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the individual floor surface portions 30, 32 and 34 may be perfectly flat, and staples 45 having head portions inclining upwardly from the floor surfaces may be employed to provide for elevation. of the advancing corner and edge portions of the moving cards in a manner similar to that hereinabove described. The longer leg portions 46 of the staples adjoining the higher portions of the staple heads may be employed to function in the manner of the shoulders 48 of Figs. 1-3. A special abutment staple 48 may be employed at the junction of the floor surface portions 36 and 30 as shown to function in the manner of the corresponding side wall portion of the card receiving well 36 of Figs. 1 and 3 to prevent movement of the cards around the plate beyond the floor surface portion 36, and also to serve as a card placing guide in the manner of the shoulder 4!. Or, in lieu of the staples 45 and 48, blocks of wood, or the like, or any other suitable form of inclined and abutment devices may be employed in conjunction with the floor structure of the plate 26 to provide for automatic stacking in proper sequence of the cards upon movement therearound.

It is contemplated that the plate 20 may be formed of any suitable material such as molded plastics, wood, pressed metal, or composition board material, or the like; and that the type of card inclining elements employed in conjunction therewith will be selected largely in View of economies of manufacture and the artistic appearance sought in the completed article.

It is also contemplated that the plate 20 may be provided on its face with any desired surface ornamentation as well as indicia that may be useful in providing instructions for use of the method and means of the invention. It is also contemplated that the. central post 24 and the outer rim 25 may be of any desired ornamental forms; but in any case care will be taken that the distance between the central post and the inner wall of the outer rim be only slightly greater than the longest dimension of the playing cards to be used with the plate. This insures free movement of the cards about the plate during reassembly thereof, and prevents twisting of the cards out of radial relation with respect to the plate aXis such as would otherwise occur and/ or cause binding of the cards between the post 24 and the rim. It is also contemplated that the groove 35 may be of any desired sectional contour as may lend itself to artistic ornamentation of the device and to the use specified.

It is also contemplated that the indicator de vices of the invention may take the form of envelopes or other suitable playing card containers for convenient association with the respective card decks. Also the reassembly and stacking of the respective cards of the tricks might be carried out by means of a clockwise movement around the plate 20, as distinguished from the counterclockwise movement provided for and described hereinabove. To this end the inclined elements of the structure would be suitably arranged to provide intermittent lowering of the advancing edge portions of the cards below the next adjacent edge portions of successive cards. For this purpose, the card receiving pockets would be designed in such manner as to support the cards with their receiving edges spaced slightly above the floor structure so as to allow entrance of the advancing card edges thereunder.

Although only a limited number of forms of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in'the art that the invention is not so limited but that Various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A plate for card games formed with an upstanding central post and an upstanding outer marginal rim and an annular playing card receiving surface therebetween, said playing card receiving surface being segmented into parts corresponding to the players of the game, each of said parts including a card receiving pocket portion and inclined means extending therefrom to the next adjacent pocket portion adapted to change the elevation of the advancing edge portions of playing cards when the latter are moved circularly around said central post upon said receiving surface into stacked relationship.

2. A plate for card games formed with an upstanding central post and an upstanding outer marginal rim and an annular playing card receiving surface therebetween, said playing card receiving surface being segmented into parts corresponding to the players of the game, each of said parts including a card receiving pocket portion and inclined means extending therefrom to the next adjacent pocket portion adapted to change the elevation of the advancing edge portions of playing cards when the latter are moved circularly around said central post upon said receiving surface into stacked relationship, said receiving surface being also provided with an annular groove extending inwardly thereof.

3. A plate for card games formed with an upstanding central post and an upstanding outer marginal rim and an annular playing card supporting surface therebetween, said playing card receiving surface being segmented into parts corresponding to the players of the game, each of said parts comprising a card receiving pocket portion and an adjacent inclined portion leading into communication with the card receiving pocket portion of the next succeeding part when viewed with respect to sliding circular movement of playing cards around said central post adapted to change the elevation of the advancing edge portions of said playing cards when the latter are moved circularly around said central post into stacked relationship.

4:. A plate for card games formed with an upstanding central post and an upstanding outer marginal rim and an annular playing card supporting surface therebetween, said playing card receiving surface being segmented into parts corresponding to the'players of the game, each of said parts comprising a card receiving pocket portion and an adjacent inclined portion leading into communication with the card receiving pocket portion of the next succeeding part adapted to change the elevation of the advancing edge portions of playing cards when the latter are slidably moved circularly around said central post into stacked relationship, said supporting surface portion being also provided with an annular groove extending inwardly thereof.

5. A plate for card games formed with an upstanding central post and an upstanding outer marginal rim and an annular playing card receiving surface therebetween, said playing card receiving surface being segmented into parts corresponding to the players of the game, each of said parts including a card receiving pocket portion and inclined means extending between said pocket portion and the next adjacent pocket portion adapted to change the elevation of the advancing edge portions of playing cards when slidably moved circularly around said central post into stacked relationship, the radial distance between said central post and the inner wall portion of said outer rim being only slightly greater than the corresponding dimension of said cards so as to prevent twisting of said cards out of radial alignment as they are moved circularly around said central post.

6. A plate for card games formed with an upstanding central post, an outer marginal rim, and an annular playing card receiving surface therebetween, staples spaced about said annular surface to divide the same into segments corresponding to the players of the game, the head portions of the staples being inclined in the general direction of extent of said annular surface to change the elevation of advancing edge portions of playing cards when the latter are moved slidably and circularly around said central post into stacked relationship.

7. In a device for arranging playing cards in predetermined sequence, base means having a plurality of horizontally spaced playing card receiving compartments, inclined track means between said compartments to guide a card slid from one compartment to the next to a different level to bring said card into vertical coincidence with a card in said neXt compartment, said several track means being similarly inclined whereby already gathered playing cards will be guided into each succeeding compartment in similar manner so that a playing card in the compartment will always be associated with approaching already gathered cards in the same vertical order I and relationship.

8. A plate for card games formed with an upstanding outer marginal rim and a playing card receiving surface on said plate within said rim, said playing card receiving surface being segmented into parts corresponding to the players of the game, each of said parts comprising a card receiving space and an adjacent inclined portion leading to the card receiving pocket of the next succeeding part when viewed with respect to sliding circular movement of playing cards around said plate and adapted to change the elevation of the advancing edge portions of said playing cards when the latter are moved from one card receiving space to the next into stacked relationship with the cards in said next card receiving space.

CLIFFORD H. PEEK. 

